Uecker to have additional heart surgery

Brewers Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker, who missed about 10 weeks of the 2010 season following heart surgery, will undergo an additional procedure next week, the team announced Thursday.

The surgery, scheduled for Tuesday, is necessitated by a tear at the site of Uecker’s valve replacement. According to a news release from the Brewers, doctors believe the tear occurred due to a skin-related staph infection which entered the bloodstream about six weeks after Uecker’s April 30 surgery and seeded itself into his surgical repair site.

Uecker will need a minimum of eight weeks to recover from this latest procedure, according to the team.

“I’m approaching this with the same optimism that I had the first time, and I appreciate all of the kind thoughts and well wishes from Brewers fans and everyone who has reached out to me,” Uecker said in the Brewers’ statement. “I have the highest confidence in the doctors and staff at Froedtert Hospital and I look forward to being ready to go well before Spring Training in Arizona.”

Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin cardiothoracic surgeon Alfred C. Nicolosi performed the first surgery and will operate in Tuesday’s procedure as well.

“Bob’s heart is stronger now following his initial operation and therefore I think he will tolerate this operation very well,” said Dr. James Kleczka, Uecker’s cardiologist. “I expect that he will need 8-10 weeks to fully recover, after which he will be back to life as usual.”

The Brewers will provide an update on Uecker’s condition following Tuesday’s surgery but made it clear that neither Uecker nor his caregivers would have further comment before then.

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